


In Another Life

by greystrash



Category: Grey's Anatomy
Genre: Angst, Everyone is Dead, F/M, Hurt No Comfort, I Will Go Down With This Ship, Mentions of Derek - Freeform, Meredith is sick of everything, Spoilers, WTF WAS THAT EPISODE, andrew deserved better, au where beach doesn't exist, bye I'm so sad rn, dead main character, deluca is dead :(, deluca was supposed to be the one who stayed, idk this is me mourning Andrew, krista I will haunt your dreams, mer is clueless, mer is located kinda, moving on :(, ugh merluca endgame plz
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-13
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-20 19:14:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30009648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greystrash/pseuds/greystrash
Summary: SPOILERS FOR 17X07Meredith, who is fighting for her life is unaware of everything around her. What happens when the person you love the most dies. And you don't know it?
Relationships: Andrew DeLuca/Meredith Grey
Comments: 1
Kudos: 30





	In Another Life

As the news spread of Andrew Deluca’s death, a shadow passed over the bleak halls of Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. The reality of the situation hadn't set in, some barely grasping the monumental loss of their co-worker, and friend.

One person however, remained blissfully ignorant to the situation. Meredith Grey had been on a vent for days now, fighting for her life against COVID-19, Her history with Andrew was well known throughout the hospital. Although the rumor mill at Grey Sloan wasn't a hundred percent accurate one thing was agreed upon. Meredith and Andrew cared deeply for each other. Which begged the question-

How would Dr. Grey reacts to Andrew's death?

Whispers. They surrounded Meredith as she was on the brink of consciousness, Lights surrounded her as she groggily opened her eyes. Orienting herself, Meredith was greeted with a glimpse of Maggie's tearful smile and Bailey's small grin.

“Welcome back Mer” Maggie said while checking her vitals. She seemed oddly put out, avoiding looking Meredith directly in the eyes. Meredith squinted. This was definitely abnormal behavior for Maggie. She was obviously hiding something..

Something that she was afraid would upset her, Meredith attempted to get Maggie's attention, mustering up her strength to make a conceivable noise. Bailey however had different ideas and stopped her before she could try.

“Grey.. You know that won't work. Save your strength.” But instead of comforting her, these words stalled her. Bailey looked at her with a look of pity and empathy that she hadn't seen since.. No 

Meredith's brain started to connect the dots. Maggie's utter avoidance of her and Bailey's overly kind attitude. Her mind raced at the possibilities as her hands clenched into a fist. Meredith shook her head. They'd definitely tell her if there was something for her to worry about,

After all, Maggie being skittish might be because of the thought circumstances of their job at the moment. And Bailey? Well it could be purely a concern for her. After all Meredith had had a brush with death. Those reactions were totally normal. Right?

Bailey walked about Meredith's room, carrying a heavy weight on her conscience. She was right to avoid the topic of Deluca after all right? Meredith was much too vulnerable to hear this right now, Bailey sighed in frustration. She knew Grey for a long time.

Longer than many of her friends and family. She could still remember that doe eyed intern that started all those years ago. Bailey had watched her fall in love, have children, lose her husband and everything in-between. 

She had also seen her various friends and family leave her and Bailey really hoped that Andrew would be one who stayed. It didn't help how sudden and violent his death was, with Andrew's life being taken from him at such inopportune time.

Bailey's eyes watered up just thinking about what he could've done, if only he had more time. She shook her head. Now was not the time to lament over her students passing, especially with her job that required her on standby almost twenty-four seven. That'd be a problem for another time.

The sun shone brightly through Meredith's blinds causing her to since at the sudden interference. Sleep was seldom nowadays with nurses and doctors passing by her hospital room all the time. That and her sister's constant nagging kept her in a constant state of tiredness.

On the bright side, Bailey was considering letting her go soon as she showed signs of improvement, which gave her something to look forward to. She was lost in her thoughts when she heard a knock on her door. The person paused for a few seconds before coming in. 

It was Carina. 

“Hello Meredith” Carina hesitated, Meredith knitted her eyebrows in confusion. In 

the little time she had known Andrew's sister she was never this distraught. It took less than a second for Meredith to notice her disheveled hair and outfit. Under further examination her face also looked disturbing. Dark eyebags and an expression that made Meredith extremely worried.

“Hey” Meredith replied, carefully scanning Carina’s face. Carina approached her bed, slowly, as if mustering up courage to say something. “I need to talk to you.” Carina looked up and made eye contact with Meredith for the first time since she entered the room. Meredith nodded her head, a gesture for her to continue on. Carina took a shaky breath. “It's about Andrea.”

Meredith has been through hell. And no, that isn't an overstatement of any sort. She has experienced several traumatizing experiences and lost countless people who she was close to. Which is why she can't believe that she didn't see this coming. As Carina told her about Andrew she sat there paralyzed, too shocked to cry, speak, anything really. Meredith ran through how this happened, how she let herself lose him. Memories flashed in her mind, that day in the elevator, their rooftop date, hell, even that stupid dinner party.

Meredith cursed herself for doing this again. She naively thought that he'd be different. That he'd stay. That he wouldn't leave her like the rest of them. Meredith felt tears well up in her eyes but fought them as hard as she could, finally mustering the strength to turn towards Carina. “How did he die?” Meredith asked in a small voice. Carina hesitated. “Opal.” Meredith looked at her, waiting for an explanation. “Andrea and I had just gotten off our shift when he saw her. He wanted to follow her and of course I came too. But when-” Carina broke off her sentence, shaking her head. “But when the police finally came someone stabbed him.” 

Meredith looked up at her, a look of horror on her face. “He died in surgery a few hours later.” Carina sniffled. Meredith's resolve finally broke down and she started crying, small choked sobs. “And why didn't anyone tell me sooner?” Meredith questioned. She was absolutely sure that the thing that Bailey and Maggie were acting weird about was this, but that'd be a conversation for later. Carina looked at the ground, avoiding Meredith's stare.

“Meredith you're fragile, it's barely been two weeks since you were taken off the vent, we didn't want t-” “To what?” Meredith snapped. “Tell me the truth? Tell me that Andrew, the man I love is dead?” She slowly came back to earth, realizing what she has done, “Carina I'm sorry-” “No it's okay, you had the right to know.” Carina looked up at Meredith. “You know when we were chasing Opal, he said that you were the only person who never gave up on him, who believed in him. He loved you, you know?” Meredith smiled slightly. “I know, I loved him too.”

-

The first few days were hell, Meredith's mind and body were in denial. Her brain barely let her sleep and when she did, Andrew plagued her dreams. She spent every waking hour scrolling through her phone, looking at photos of her and Andrew together, when they were happy.

She stopped at one particular photo, one of her, Andrew, and the kids on a picnic, Bailey smiled crookedly at the camera and Zola was doing bunny ears behind Ellis. Andrew hugging all three of them and grinning. Meredith looked at the date when this photo was taken.

It was a little less than a year ago! How could that be? A year ago they were together and now, he was.. Meredith shook her head. She had done this before, when Derek died, she could do it again, move on again.

If only she could find the strength.

-

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> someone start a support group for merluca shippers plz. we aren't okay


End file.
